Malawi's Mutharika wins presidential election

Peter Mutharika, the leader of the Democratic Progressive Party and brother of a former Malawi president, has been declared the winner of the country's disputed presidential election.

The electoral commission said Mutharika, who won 36.4 percent of the vote, came ahead of Lazarus Chakwera who obtained 27.8 percent and President Joyce Banda, southern Africa's first female president, who garnered 20.2 percent.

Banda has reportedly accepted the election results despite her reservations earlier this week when she claimed the vote was null and void amid allegations of polling irregularities and fraud. 

The results were announced minutes after a court refused to grant an extension for a recount that had been sought by Chakwera.

Mutharika was expected to begin the inauguration process early on Saturday and forgo the presidential transition period in order to avoid facing contention from his opponents.

On Thursday, Maxon Mbendera, the head of the country's electoral commission, told Al Jazeera that the presidential elections were held in a free, fair and credible manner although anomalies were discovered at over 4,000 polling stations.

"We have to now focus on what matters. Spend our tax money wisely ... What unites us Malawians is more important than what divides us," Mbandera told Mutharika, according to Reuters.

The Malawi government deployed the army on the first day of voting last week after delays in opening the polls had led voters to riot and burn down at least two stations. 

Supporters of Banda held a series of protests alleging that the vote was rigged in favor of Mutharika. Three people were killed in violence following the vote. 

Al Jazeera and wire services